Go dancing with Kim Volkman

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By The Barman

The Barman

15 September 2019

Hits: 5047

“For Those That Dance with the Skeleton”
by Kim Volkman
(Self published)

It was George Bernard-Shaw who said: “If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance” and it’s a maxim St Kilda musician-turned-author Kim Volkman has applied exceptionally well.

Kim’s first book, the autobiographical “The Devil Won’t Take Charity” (2017), was a rip-roaring Harley ride through his own back pages that hung out enough dirty laundry to keep 10 dry cleaners in work for a month.

“For Those That Dance with the Skeleton” is occasionally more of the same but in vignette form. These are short stories about OCD girlfriends, workmates, dentists, rostered days off, kicking smoking and indulging addictions (like guitars and heroin) all rendered in unique style and peppered with dry humour.

• ian rilen
• kim volkman
• whiskey priests
• for those that dance with the skeleton
• pauline bailey
• the devil won't take charity
• love addicts

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Come Rumble in Sydney with The Wraylettes and friends

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By The Barman

The Barman

14 September 2019

Hits: 4010

Some of Melbourne’s keenest worshippers of guitar pioneer Link Wray will share their adulation of the man with Sydney on Saturday, October 19 with a special gig at Enmore’s Hideaway Bar.

All-girl combo The Wraylettes (Melbourne) will be joined by sleazy ’60s psychedelia advocates Cheetah Beat, surf reverb fanatics Los Tremoleros (Melbourne) and Sydney’s own The Missing Link with DJ support from King O.P.P.

The Wraylettes are something of a supergroup, comprising lead guitarist Yolanda DeRose (DollSquad, Mass Cult and The Beat Taboo), drummer Susan Shaw (The Exotics, Girl Monstar, The Wet Ones and Andre Williams), bassist Nikki Scarlett (Asylum, Dusty Springclean & The Pops. The Jasmine Mahon Trio) and guitarist Sammy-Lou (The Shimmys The Vibrajets.)

Cheetah Beat are no slouches too with membership drawn from The Crusaders and The Booby Traps while The Missing Link were Link Wray’s Sydney pick-up band for his one and only Australian tour in the ‘90s. Leader Bones and Co play out rarely these days.

The Link Wray Tribute became a thing on the Melbourne live music calendar a couple of years ago. Hideaway Bar is at 156 Enmore Road - a short stroll form the Enmore Theatre. Admission is just $10.

• sydney
• enmore
• link wray
• the wraylettes
• cheetah beat
• the missing link
• Los Tremoleros
• hideaway bar

Last man standing Waldo brings "LAMF" to London

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By John Williams

John Williams

10 September 2019

Hits: 4566

Walter Lure plays LAMF
100 Club, London

August 10, 2019



Walter Lure has had a storied career, duelling with Johnny Thunders in the Heartbreakers, recording with The Ramones, burning up stages with his own Waldos and in working in the markts on Wall Street. 

Of the Heartbreakers, Lure is the last man standing after the passing of Thunders and Jerry Nolan in the '90s and the departure of Billy Rath in 2013, and he has done gigs showcasing the Heartbreakers debut "LAMF", most notably in New York City with a fairly stellar cast including Wayne Kramer and Clem Burke.

• heartbreakers
• lamf
• london
• johnny thunders
• walter lure
• mick rossi
• 100 club
• mark luff

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Damned great show by punk rock trailblazer

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By John Williams

John Williams

10 September 2019

Hits: 5002

Brian James
De Rellas
100 Club, London
Friday, August 23, 2019

While the Damned are busy touring Oz, Brian James, the band's co-founder and architect of their "Damned, Damned, Damned" album, is playing a solo band show at the 100 Club.

Now there’s too much academic analysis over who invented punk. Some people refer to The Sonics from mid ‘60s America as the first punks, or The Ramones; some (well from Australia. anyway) will plump for Birdman or The Saints. Who issued the first single is beyond debate. The Damned's “New Rose” was the first punk single. 

• the damned
• brian james

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Damo the Musical moves uptown

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By The Barman

The Barman

09 September 2019

Hits: 4177

The Damien Lovelock tribute aka "Damo The Musical" has outgrown Sydney's Factory Theatre and moved to the Enmore. Headliners are the Celibate Rifles, with special guests including Jello Biafra, plus Wigworld and the Centrelink Surfers. Tickets are on sale here. 

• enmore theatre
• celibate rifles
• damo the musical

Chrysalis - Eric Mingus and Catherine Sikora (self released)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

08 September 2019

Hits: 3547

I suppose you might think of this as “modern jazz”, a term I find too concrete, too easily dismissable. I think it's fair to say that most people find improvised, loosely structured music either to be crap, or too much effort to pay attention to. Which is why you don't hear yer actual John Coltrane or Ornette Coleman in the elevator or supermarkets.

Why they play horrible current “pop” in these places I have no idea, as it makes me hurry to get what I need and run; I mean, if I could get my groceries in a place with either nothing playing or bland light classical wittering away in the background I'd be very happy ... oh, then there's the likes of Albert Ayler... don't get me started. 

I like music, but you may have gathered that already. I'm not that keen on definitions, though. Cradle of Filth started in one area, but bent the rules and ended up with a big, broader sound which still fits (albeit somewhat untidily) into a genre-area-type-thing.

• jazz
• eric mingus
• chrysalis
• catherine sikora

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Sound explorer Eric Mingus

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

08 September 2019

Hits: 4941

You, devoted I-94 Bar reader, may have noticed a review I did a few weeks back, for the album by New York-raised, now Ireland-domiciled multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Eric Mingus, called "Fog of Forgiveness". One of Eric's collaborators, Catherine Sikora, sent it to me out of the blue, and when I had a chance to listen, I was rather blown away. 

Eric Mingus came to my attention several years ago, when a musical interpretation of "Tommy” (the Who double LP) played in Adelaide for the Festival Fringe, at the magnificent Her Majesty's Theatre (now being rebuilt). I thought that, since I wanted to ask Eric about a ton of stuff, I asked Catherine if I could do an e-mail interview with Eric. He doesn't seem to do that many interviews - possibly because of the nature of interviewers.

His dad Charles was a mighty jazz legend (if you know who I mean, then read on; if not, get Googling); however, if you have your own, distinct musical drive, people will always compare the first with the second. (Recall that Sir Winston Churchill named his son Winston Spencer-Churchill - imagine going to school with that millstone of a name ...) Eric Mingus is a very different kettle of fish to his dad, and what he does is ... well, it is to some extent beyond music to my mind. 

Rather than a series of straight Q&As, I had more of an email conversation with Eric, so if the preambles seem a little involved ... well, sod you. I'm writing this for your entertainment. Either be entertained, or don't be. There are a lot of musical springboards (ie, links in here. You're far too conservative in your musical tastes). Get corrupted and follow the links. Lastly, Eric writes in American English, and yes, he has spelled his words correctly.

• tommy
• the who
• eric mingus
• kate sikkora
• adelaide fringe
• charles mingus
• jon entwistle

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Not For Sale: Live 1978/79 - The Scientists (Grown Up Wrong)

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 September 2019

Hits: 4200

There are supposed to be two types of Scientists fans: those who like the first punky-pop incarnation from Perth and people who like the latter, swampy line-ups that sprang up in Sydney and moved to the UK. Of course that’s nonsense. The world isn’t binary. You’re free to love ‘em both.

Getting a handle on the recorded legacy of either, however, is no easy task. The grunge Sydney-UK Scientists recorded in fits and starts, falling out with their then-record company and seeing their stuff released in forms that did not please them. 

You'll drop big money tracking down original vinyl but the output of the Perth Scientists has been reissued several times over in jigsaw fashion. At one stage their legacy did suffer from a poorly produced self-titled record (the posthumous so-called Pink Album) being their only LP. Thankfully, there’s enough out there to give a more complete picture of their sound, to which “Not For Sale” adds much.   

• scientists
• grown up wrong
• not for sale
• live1978/79

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Black Door – The Volcanics (Citadel)

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 September 2019

Hits: 5488

It’s hard – no, impossible – to believe The Volcanics aren’t huge names in underground rock households right around the world.

Perth might be the Most Isolated Capital City in The World (something its bands used to brag about incessantly - but let's face it, it's a great tagline) but the relevance of that factoid is fading fast in this digitally-connected age. So it can’t just be down to location.

Sonically-speaking, “Black Door” has guitars up the wazoo, brutal hooks, captivating songs, swagger and attitude. So it’s as unfashionable as fuck to the ears of cultural taste-makers, who’d rather assail our ears with Chris Brown or Tay-Tay (whichever one makes them the most money through streaming). Yeah. That’d be it. 

• perth
• citadel records
• the volcanics
• oh crash
• black door

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